The Deer Valley High School Band & Auxiliary Boosters will host an all-you-can-eat Crab Feed & Tri-Tip Dinner on Saturday, Feb. 4, 2012 at the Contra Costa County Fairgrounds, Sunset Hall, 1201 W. 10th St., Antioch.

Tickets are $45 per person and includes Marinated Crab, Tri Tip, Salad, Pasta, Garlic Bread and Dessert. Full bar available. Raffles, auctions and Live Jazz. Doors open at 6PM with dinner at 7PM. All proceeds will benefit DVHS band programs.

For tickets and information, call Eric Wunderly at 925-755-2724. No tickets sold at the door.

Dallas Ranch PTSA will be having our 3rd annual Crab Feed and Raffle on Saturday, March 3rd from 6-10 p.m. and the new Community Center. Tickets are $40 for adults and $20 for kids 14 and under.

This includes all the crab you can eat, pasta, salad, bread, dessert, and a non-alcoholic beverage. We will have a beer and wine bar as well. Funds raised from this event will be used to purchase much-needed school supplies at Dallas Ranch. The school has had $20,000 slashed from its budget this year, and the DRMS PTSA aims to replenish those monies.

To purchase tickets email mfuriosi@comcast.net.

Dow’s 12th annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration takes place on Thursday, January 12 and it promises to be a time of reflection and inspiration.

Former San Francisco 49er offensive lineman, Guy McIntyre, will deliver the keynote speechWith an NFL career that spans more than a decade and includes three trips to the Super Bowl and five trips to the Pro-Bowl, McIntyre has a story that goes beyond the gridiron.

Renowned jazz saxophonist, Kevin Moore, will also be entertaining the audience with several musical selections.

For the fourth year, Dow hosted an essay contest for local high school students. This year, in keeping with the County Office of Education’s new focus on civility, students were asked to describe how 21st century technologies (cell phones, social media, the Internet), not present in Dr. King’s time, have impacted civility.

The winning essay will be read by its author, Bianka Machado, a sophomore at Pittsburg High. In addition, this year a poster contest was held and the winning poster, drawn by Karla Rosales, a senior at Deer Valley High School, will also be revealed.

Dow employees and invited community guests will be on hand to participate in this event.

The recipient of the Community Award is Professor Silvester Henderson, Chair of the Music Department at Los Medanos College in Pittsburg. Henderson has used gospel music to unite communities for more than 25 years.

The recipient of the Dow Employee Award is Jamie Polan, a Production Engineer, who has demonstrated a true commitment to diversity in the workplace as she helps with hispanic recruitment, leads the Women’s Innovation Network, mentors young engineers and more.

The Dow Chemical Company purchased the Pittsburg facility in 1939 from the Great Western Electrochemical Company. It is one of more than 150 manufacturing sites located in 37 countries around the world and supports two of Dow’s eight global businesses – Dow AgroSciences and Performance Chemicals. The Pittsburg facility produces a variety of products used in personal care products as well as a variety of crop protection products and intermediates. www.dowpittsburg.com

The City of Antioch and Antioch Unified School District, along with community partners and sponsors, will present the 4th annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Birthday Celebration at Antioch High School Beede Auditorium, 700 West 18th Street, on January 16th, from 1-3 PM,

The event, which grew from Antioch City Council Member Reggie Moore’s desire to celebrate Dr. King’s historical contributions, along with creating a scholarship program for high school and middle school students, began in 2009.

Mayor Pro Tem, Wade Harper, will continue the celebration with the support of business and community leaders. The celebration will include local community member Keith Archuletta’s tribute to Dr. King, performances by the Delta School for the Performing Arts, DVHS Divine Voices, DVHS Show Choir. Dr. Donald Gill, AUSD Superintendent, will announce the 2012 Scholarship program.

The event is sponsored by the City of Antioch, Antioch Unified School District, CCC Supervisor Federal Glover, Arts & Cultural Foundation of the City of Antioch, Parents Connected.

For more information, visit http://art4antioch.org/MLK-Program.asp or contact Lisa Harper at 925.437-4240 or e-mail Diane@Art4Antioch.org.

The Antioch Police Department is excited to announce the 30th installment of the Neighborhood Cleanup Program on Saturday, January 14th from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. Volunteers should report to Gino Marchetti Park located at 2500 Kendree Street.

Volunteers will receive instructions and the equipment necessary to accomplish the goal. The targeted area is within walking distance. Excluding inclement weather, future Neighborhood Cleanup events are scheduled for the first Saturday of every month and the locations will be announced in advance.

Collectively, everyone who works and lives in the City Antioch can make a difference and improve the quality of life. It’s our community and it’s our chance to make a difference.

The City of Antioch Neighborhood Cleanup program is not just for residential neighborhoods. It is a program that will change venues on a monthly basis and it will include business and commercial areas as well. Neighborhoods that are free of trash and refuse are inviting, and a clean community instills a sense of community pride.

Remember, cleaning up your neighborhood can make life better for your family, your neighbors and your community!

This is a collaborative community effort which involves active participation from United Citizens for Better Neighborhoods (UCBN), community volunteers, and the Antioch Police Department Crime Prevention Commission; Neighborhood Watch Program, Target Volunteers, Volunteers in Police Service, community volunteers and the Public Works Department.

Santa came to the Interfaith Peace Center in Antioch just in time for Father Tom Bonacci, as he receives two thousand dollars on Christmas Eve from Antioch Music Foundation officers, Walter and Cynthia Ruehlig.

The funds came from Calpine Corporation through the Office of District 5 Supervisor Federal Glover to assist in hosting the International Day of Peace Celebration in the east Delta region of Contra Costa County.

Father Tom, founder of the Interfaith Peace Project, is one of sixty world-wide semi-finalists for this year’s Prize given by the Coexist Foundation, a charity which works to promote the understanding of Jews, Christians and Muslims through education, dialogue and respect.

(Photo courtesy of Susan Batterton)

The Friends of Laurel Ridge are Hosting a Crab Feed on Saturday, January 14th from 6 until 9 pm. in an effort to “Get Kids To Camp.”

The Cost is $45 per Person. Enjoy Great Crab & Tri-Tip in a warm friendly environment while supporting the Children and Student Ministries’ Camps and Mission Trips. Live Music from “Oldskool.” This is an alcohol-free event.

Find more info and purchase tickets online at http://www.LaurelRidgeChurch.org or www.FriendsOfLaurelRidge.bbnow.org.

The El Campanil Theatre in Antioch hosted a very special graduation ceremony on Dec. 22 for thirteen talented and grateful Contra Costa County residents.

Known as Opportunity Junction’s “Class 36”, this group of graduates definitely has something to celebrate this Holiday Season having just completed an intensive three months of full-time job placement and training.

Receiving their diplomas, each spoke of the commitment it took, not only by themselves but by their spouses, children, parents and friends – many of whom were in the audience – to get through the intensive program. They also recognized in their personal and emotional speeches that this was a life-changing opportunity which they were thankful to have been selected to participate in.

Founded in 1999, Opportunity Junction is a non-profit organization in Antioch which provides education and career training for qualified Contra Costa residents. Its mission is to fight poverty by helping low-income adults gain the skills and confidence to support themselves and their families.

Supported by community partnerships, grants, in-kind donations, pro bono services and donations from the public, Opportunity Junction’s successful Job Training and Placement program is able to combine technology training, personal development and real world experience to adults. Alumni are followed for at least 18 months and continue to be offered services including career counselling and mentoring indefinitely.

According to Alissa Friedman, Executive Director at Opportunity Junction, “There is a tremendous need for workers today to have strong technology and workplace skills. Without education, experience and stability many residents in Contra Costa County struggle to secure a job which can meet their basic needs.

She added, “Last night’s graduation ceremony means these thirteen wonderful people are now ready to get on the road to economic self-sufficiency with enhanced skills and more self confidence.”

What’s next for these special graduates? In the New Year they return to Opportunity Junction to commence up to four months of paid internships using the skills introduced during training. That is if they don’t find a full-time job first.

Ms. Friedman reminds potential employers that unlike staffing firms, Opportunity Junction’s Temp-to-Hire program has no conversion fees. Contact her to find out if your organization or agency qualifies for available tax credits through this program.

If you missed the graduation ceremony last night in Antioch, don’t worry because it will be available for viewing on CCTV (Comcast channel 27, Astound channel 32 and AT&T U-verse channel 99) Monday, January 9 at 8:00 pm, Wednesday, January 11 at 2 pm, Wednesday, January 18 at 2 pm.

For information about Opportunity Junction’s programs and services, visit http://www.opportunityjunction.org or contact Alissa Friedman, Executive Director, at 925-776-1133, alissa@opportunityjunction.org.